Whistles
by WallabyWritings
Summary: After naming Charlie as his heir, Willy Wonka saw no foreseeable trouble from the Bucket family moving into his factory. That is, until he met Charlie's sister. A story about letting your hair down, love, and whistles.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, or the song "O Sole Mio" They belong to the creative people who have more money than me.

When Willy Wonka had told Charlie he was naming him as his heir, it was with the expectation that he would be moving into the factory, along with his family. He was only a child after all, and it was obvious how close they all were, so the family would be coming with him.

But he hadn't known just how big the Bucket family was.

All the other children (little monsters) had been flaunted all over every T.V channel, radio station, and newspaper there was, so there was really no mystery about them or their home lives. Charlie, however, had only found his ticket the night before the big day, and so his arrival at the gates the was the first the world had seen of him.

Wonka was extremely happy to find that the boy came from a family of honest, loving individuals (with, maybe the exception of his Grandpa Joe. Willy was still trying to figure that fellow out).

His grandmothers were sweet, quite ladies that honestly didn't do much beside sit in bed. His second grandfather, Grandpa George, was a gruff man with a sour expression, but always had his family's best interest at heart (and who, incidentally, also didn't do much besides sit in bed). With the majority of the elder Buckets all sorted and labeled, Wonka turned his attention to Charlie's mother and where she fit into things.

Mrs. Bucket, though in her fifties and sporting the face of someone who had known many hardships, was a doting, caring mother. It was quickly concluded that this was where Charlie's better qualities had come from.

After she had agreed to make the move to the family's new wing in the factory, Mrs. Bucket had quit her job as the laundry lady and made ready to settle into a calm and peaceful life (or as calm and peaceful as a life in Willy Wonka's candy factory could be), and Wonka had come to the conclusion that there would be no problems from the Bucket family.

That was until he learned that Charlie had a sister.

Rebecca Bucket, as it turned out, was seventeen years older than Charlie and the family's main bread winner so to speak. She had been working when Wonka had made his first visit to the household, and in the commotion it slipped from everyones mind to mention her (there was, apparently, a lot of commotion when she got home that night).

Even though Rebecca was well into adulthood she would be coming with family, as it had been her job that had payed the rent in the past years since Charlie was born (a job that she insisted on keeping, thank you very much) and it seemed the buckets moved in groups.

The Oompalompas readied another room, and Willy Wonka waited to see how she would fit into his existing categories.

_

"And this where Veruca Salt fell down into the incinerator!" Charlie proclaimed excitedly, throwing his arms wide as if to show how grand the incinerator was. His sister looked a little horrified.

"She wasn't hurt was she?" Rebecca asked, her brow furrowing.

"Nah, she just landed in two weeks worth of bad eggs. She might have been a little squished when her dad fell on her though. He was a big guy."

"Charlie!" she scolded, but couldn't contain her smile.

From where he had just entered through the doorway, Willy Wonka used the moment to covertly scrutinize her once again.

Rebecca Bucket was a hard egg to crack.

She wore her hair in a tight, no nonsense bun, and her first day in the factory she looked at everything as if it might attack her (though, he supposed, he really couldn't blame her for that, after the account the other ticket winners had given to the papers). She was polite, but never spoke to Wonka unless he asked something first (something he wasn't often inclined to do, so they really hadn't talked all that much).

He would start to file her away in one of the categories in his mind, but then would catch a glimpse of her when she didn't know he was watching and be startled by the change in her appearance. It seemed without him around Rebecca Bucket was a much different person.

"Mr. Wonka!" Charlie's voice brought him out of his musings.

"Want to join us for the tour?" His apprentice skirted around various machines as he dashed a crossed the room. Behind him Rebecca followed at a more sedate pace, expression once more reserved.

"Hello Charlie! And what tour shall I be joining you for?" Charlie skidded to a stop in front of him.

"Rebecca's! She didn't get to come with the others yesterday, because she was working again."

"Ah," His eyes flickered to meet her calculating gaze.

"The workmen's day is never done," turning back to Charlie with a conspiratory whisper "And because of that they have no fun!"

This earned a snicker from Charlie, but a slight narrowing of the eyes from the aforementioned "Workman".

Straightening up with a devious spark in his eye (One Charlie was just beginning to recognize), Wonka gave Rebecca a smile full of mischief.

"My Dear lady, it appears I have greatly wronged you! Please, allow me to make it up to you, and give you a personal tour of my factory by the two men most knowledgeable about it's works." he set his hands on Charlies shoulders. "I assure you it will be unforgettable!"

Rebecca's eyes widened in alarm.

"Oh no, Mr. Wonka, there's no need to trouble yourself! Charlie has been doing a wonderful job!"

Charlie seemed to realize some great scheme was afoot, and so did his part to keep it moving.

"Aw come on Rebecca, this will be much better! I had to find a Golden Ticket to get a personal tour, you wouldn't want to pass this up!"

Jugging by her expression she very much would.

The twin grins on the conspirators faces couldn't be helping matters either.

"I'm sure Mr. Wonka has many important things to do, and I wouldn't want to keep him from them-"

"Nonsense! What could be more important than showing Charlie's beloved sister around!" at this they each grabbed a startled Rebecca's arm's and begin towing her forward.

Realizing she was outnumbered, Rebecca craned her neck to look down at her brother.

"I'm counting on you not to get me killed."

The responding laughter was hardly reassuring.

"Let's take the Wonkamobile!"

"The what?!"

Wonka looked at his heir delightedly. "Brilliant idea Charlie! Why see the world by bus or trolly, when your travel can be much more jolly! To the Wonkamobile!"

They both let go of their captive and clambered abroad.

"Come on Becky! The seats are filling up fast!" Charlie patted the seat next to him invitingly. Perhaps too invitingly to be reassuring.

Rebecca hesitated, eyeing the contraption with a disturbed kind of fascination.

"Um, Charlie..."

"Just get up here, you'll be fine!" Charlie reached down and pulled her into the front seat next to him.

Wonka smirked from his seat at the wheel. How was a boy like Charlie related to such a stick in the mud?

" _Che bella cosa na jurnata' e'sole?"_ He began to sing, _"N'aria serena doppo na tempesta'"_

From her seat, Rebecca turned to looked back at him bewildered, while Charlie looked at the pipe in front of them with anticipation.

Wonka gave her a wicked grin and fired up the mobile.

 _"Pe'll'aria fresca pare gia na festa, Che bella cosa junata'e"_

Foam started spilling out of the machine and all over the two front passengers. Rebecca didn't notice it until it started dripping down the back of her shirt, at which point she leapt out of her seat with a squeal.

"Ah, if passengers will please stay seated until the ride is over! Thank you. _Ma ntatu sole cchiu' bello, oi ne,"_

 _"_ Woohooo!" Charlie yelled, throwing his hands in the air (incidentally flinging more foam into his sisters face).

"Gah!" Rebecca yelled as foam started spewing out of the pipe in front of her.

 _"O sole mio sta nfrontea teeeeeeee!"_ Wonka finished his song grandly and looked proudly at his handiwork.

Then through the grinding and popping noises, and Charlie's howls of delight, came the unmistakable sound of laughter.

Curious, Wonka wiped away a layer of foam to see Rebecca cackling like mad, before throwing a glob of foam at Charlie's head. This resulted in an all out war with the both of them flinging sudds at each other.

Well what do you know? Perhaps they are related after all.

Listening to the pairs combined laughter, Wonka resigned himself to farther investigating the strange case of Rebecca Bucket.

He watched as Rebecca gave her brother a bubbly noogie. Then shaking his head dumped a load of foam on the both of them.

_

Wallaby notes: Thoughts? 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Every thing belongs to someone else.  
Credit for the quotes goes to Sidonie Gabrielle Cloette, and Audrey Hepburn.

"Miss Bucket," Willy Wonka turned a corner and came face to face with the sister of his young apprentice.

"Imagine running into you here..." his eyes traveled up to the sign above the door she was standing by.

'INVENTING ROOM' was proudly proclaimed in several different languages.

"Mr. Wonka! Um, hello." She shifted nervously.

Wonka raised an eyebrow. Rebecca had been much more relaxed around him lately, ever since the Wonkamoblie ride, even laughing at his joke after they all squeezed through the 'Hsawaknow,' but it seemed without her brother, she reverted back to her old ways.

And then there was the question as to what she was doing outside this particular room.

"Hello to you too." He nodded. "What brings you to this part of the factory?"

"Well," she clutched her numerous notebooks to her chest, "I got a little turned around. Literally."

"Ah," he glanced at her folders again, "Back from work I see. Well then, where are you headed?"

"Just back to our rooms." She shifted, "I was actually hoping to run into Charlie."

"Well, then you're in luck my dear! Charlie is supposed to be joining me here shortly. Come right in." He unlocked the door, and made an 'after you' gesture.

"Oh. Well, thank you." She stepped forward. "I'll only take a moment. I'll try not to hold you up."

"Nonsense, nonsense, you are more than welcome to stay. We can always use a new test subject."

"What?!"

"I'm here Mr. Wonka!" Charlie burst in from the other side of the room. "Sorry I'm late- Becky! You're home!"

"Charlie!" Rebecca's demeanor changed immediately, as she dropped her folders on the nearest surface and crushed her brother in a hug. "What's all over your face?"

"I took the boat." He rubbed at the chocolate on his cheek with the back of his hand. "The Oompa Loompas let me help with the rowing, and we may have gotten a little carried away. What are you doing here?"

"I believe your sister got a little mixed up directionally." Wonka leaned on a nearby stack of barrels. "But she needed to find you anyway."

Charlie's head whipped back around to Rebecca with a disbelieving look. "You're _still_ getting lost!"

"I can't help it!" She planted her hands on her hips. "I tried to go back the way I came, but the door just took me to another room!"

Charlie laughed "Thats because you have to go forward to go back!"

"Quite right!" Wonka agreed "Though, if you are having trouble navigating, just ask for assistance."

Rebecca glanced around embarrassed. "Well I would, if there were anyone around to ask."

"If you ever need a helping hand, just look at the end of your arm. One moment please." Wonka stepped back, and drew a tiny flute from his pocket. Playing a quick tune, he summoned an Oompa Loompa.

"Would you please bring a spare whistle for Miss Bucket? Thank you." He turned back to the siblings.

"I believe one of these will be of help until you get your bearings. All you need to do is blow while moving your fingers over the holes, like this," he leaned forward to show her, "And an Oompa Loompa with be there to assist you."

She looked quizzically at the small instrument. "That's all? Just like that?"

"Yes, but it must be those notes precisely. That is the tune for help with directions. Any other and you my be asking for directions to the boiler."

"Oh!" Her eye's widened. "Could you show me again, please?"

"Of course." He bent down so Charlie could see too.

"So, is that the tune to call for a certain Oompa Loompa, or is it just a general call?" Rebecca asked.

"No, no, it's their language."

"Language? They speak with whistles?"

"Not quite. Have you noticed how they normally talk?"

"They sing!" Charlie answered, "But I've heard them speak another language too."

"Yes!" Wonka held up his whistle. "The Oompa Loompa's entire way of speaking is through song- even in their own tongue. They love to rhyme! But back in Loompaland, where they had to hide from the Wangdoodles and Hornswogglers, they had to develop a language of only whistling!"

"So they could communicate without calling attention to themselves!" Charlie concluded.

"Precisely!"

Rebecca just looked confused.

"Hornswog-?"

"Here we are!" Wonka looked down at the Oompa Loompa that was holding up the new whistle.

"For you!" He presented it to Rebecca.

Shuffling her papers around, she reached out to take it with great care.

"Thank you." She said with a sincerity that made Wonka's breath catch for a moment. Thankfully, Charlie started to drag her away before either one noticed.

It seemed the two of them were definitely cut of the same cloth.

Watching the pair as Charlie explained the different things in the room, Wonka wondered how true to that cloth Rebecca was.

Her papers clutched close to her chest, she listened attentively as Charlie held up an Everlasting Gobstopper.

"Oscar," the Oompa Loompa at his side looked up in question. "We will need to pay more attention to Miss. Bucket's whereabouts. I don't want her running all over the factory unsupervised."

Family or not, Rebecca was the only person who regularly came in and out of the factory. She also insisted on keeping her job to make her own way in the world. Admirable, but disconcerting when you considered that she one day planned to leave the factory.

As Oscar nodded and scurried off, Wonka walked over to rejoin his ward at the gum machine.  
"...but now that the blueberry problem is fixed, we're having trouble replicating the machine for mass production." Charlie was explaining.

Rebecca looked at the large contraption in puzzlement. "Why not just use ingredients already prepared? Why use a beehive?"

"Because, my dear, it takes only the freshest ingredients!" Wonka leaned in as if sharing a secret, "And you can't get any fresher than direct from the hive."

"I suppose not..." Rebecca looked over the machine again.

"Look at this one Becky!" Charlie switched to the next item in line. "This is one I'm helping with!" He held up a neon gumdrop. "It makes you glow!"

"Truly?" Rebecca exclaimed, looking at it in fascination.

"Sure does! For kids who are afraid of the dark!"

"Give yourself more credit Charlie," Wonka interjected. He clapped him on the shoulder proudly. "He came up with the idea!"

Rebecca beamed, "Really?! That's wonderful Charlie! Why haven't you said anything?"

Charlie turned the gumdrop over in his hands bashfully. "Well, it's not quite finished yet, and I really only came up with the idea. Mr. Wonka made them."

"It seems sincerity is not a spontaneous flower, nor is modesty either." He gave his apprentice's hair a fond ruffling, "I could have never done it without you, my boy."

He looked from Charlie to his sister, and was once again surprised by the genuine look of gratefulness on her face.

Feeling thrown off, he quickly changed the subject. "Now then, let's see what our dear Rebecca thinks of our new Voice Changing sodas!"

As it turned out, Rebecca was a decent bass singer.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: If I owned anything like this I'd be in the Caribbean right now.  
I am not in the Caribbean right now.

"What about marshmallow rabbits?"

Tucked away in a corner of the Inventing room was an alcove containing a left half of a desk, two chairs, and the right half of a sofa. It was Wonka's second office, so to speak, where he would come up with his recipes and sketch out designs of his ideas.

Currently he and Charlie were trying to come up with something new for the Easter holiday, but as of yet, nothing was exciting enough.

"No, too similar to the Mellow Fellow Toy Soldiers." Wonka stretched out in his chair. "It needs to be something eye catching, like the Christmas Color Canes."

"Oh, I remember those," Rebecca said from her place on the sofa, surround by her paperwork. "Those were the candy canes that made you see everything in red and green right?"

"Precisely." Wonka laced his fingers behind his head. "Last Easter, our big feature was Origami Orchids."

Ever since the Soda Pop Opera (as they had dubbed it), Rebecca had become a frequent visiter to the Invention Room, and an audience to their brainstorming sessions.

As it turned out, they really were looking for new test subjects. Having a third party to bounce ideas off of was helpful, and Rebecca could give her thoughts through the eyes of a consumer. When she wasn't busy with her own work that is.

Charlie spun in his chair.

So far, they had dismissed chocolate butterflies, jelly bean grasshoppers, butterscotch sailboats, and umbrella taffy that smelled like rain.

"I remember seeing the Orchids in all the candy shop windows." Charlie said with a twirl. "That was the big theme, wasn't it? All the origami candies?"

Wonka frowned, not liking the thought of Charlie looking through windows at candies he could never have. Perhaps they could co-release the origami collection again this year...

"What if we made cotton candy clothes? Like hats and scarves?" Charlie spun his chair again.

"Mmm, that has merit." Wonka looked up at the celling, "But first touch of water and it becomes a sticky stain on your actual clothing. We should keep it in mind though."

Charlie nodded and spun once again.

"Any ideas, Miss Bucket?" Wonka looked from the celling to the woman, once again engrossed in her papers.

"Hm? What?"

"Any ideas for Easter?" He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "What means spring to you?"

"To me? Well..." Tapping her pen on her clipboard she began to fiddle with her whistle that she wore on the end of a long chain.

"I think of the birds."

"Birds?" Charlie straightened up in his chair.

"Yes, think about it. In the spring all the birds return from migration, they build their nest, baby birds are born... I always knew spring was here when I heard birds chirping outside my window in the morning." She looked down at the whistle in her hand. "What if you made a candy whistle that sounded like birds?"

"Birds..." Wonka stared ahead unfocused. "Yes, Birds. Whistles that replicate their calls in the spring!" He stood up from his chair. "We could do a whole collection on the spring birds!"

Sitting back down at his desk he began to scribble down notes furiously. "We could do sugar painted chocolate feathers!"

"And candy eggs in candy nest!" Charlie exclaimed, getting excited. He leaned over the desk for a better look.

"Yes! Yes! Hardened, caramel drizzle, woven to look like a nest!" Wonka scribbled harder. "And we could use sugar eggs that hatch when you drop them into water and flavor your drink! And for the whistles! We could do multiple versions!" Wonka was really on a roll now.

"Different colors and flavors to match the bird the sound comes from!" Charlie chimed in.

"Yes, black raspberry for magpies-"

"Cherry for cardinals-"

"Butterscotch for the chickadees-"

"Snozzberries for robins-"

"HaHa! It's brilliant!" Wonka grabbed Charlie and spun him around. "The possibilities are endless!"

Setting the boy down he then turned to Rebecca.

"You my dear, are brilliant!"

Then he snatched her off the sofa and spun her too.

"Aahhhhh!" Rebecca grabbed onto his shoulders as he lifted her into the air, papers flying all around them.

Placing her feet back on the ground Wonka put an arm around both the Buckets.

"This year the others won't even know what hit them!"

"Others?" Rebecca asked, still a bit addled.

"The other candy factories." Wonka started for his desk, eager to start sketching out new designs. "Fickelgruber, Prodnose, Slugworth, etc. Every year they try to look for any clues or hints as to what the theme might be."

Sitting down he turned to give them a devilish grin. "But they've never come close!"

He turned back around. "Now. Lets begin our venture."

A few days later, back in his main office, Willy Wonka was interrupted by a lyrical knock on the door.

"Yes, come in." He finished what he was writing and turned to face the Oompa Loompa that had just entered.

"Oscar, my good man. Anything suspicious?"

Oscar shook his head. _The sister never tries to go anywhere she shouldn't. She is very respectful of us when she calls._

Wonka could see there was more.

"But..?" He prodded.

The Oompa Loompa sighed. _She gets lost all the time. And she does not call for help until she has spent many hours wandering around and is very agitated_

Wonka laughed. "Yes that does seem like something she would do. She never wants to be a bother." He stretched his arms over his head until he heard a satisfying pop.

Still, she was privy to most of his and Charlie's brainstorming. They would have to be careful.

He shook his head. "Moving on. Now, I would like to start reproduction on the Origami Orchids collection before the new collection moves out of the testing phase..." __

  
Wallaby Notes: I have neither the time, or originality to actually make the Oompa Loompa's rhyme and/or sing everything. As mentioned in the previous chapter, they have their own language (besides whistling) so any text like _this_ is what we can consider the abbreviated translation.


	4. Chapter 4

Wallaby Notes: I had someone ask me why I always refer to Willy Wonka as just "Wonka" instead of his first name. Using just "Willy" seemed a little to personal to me for some reason. This is a man that nobody but his employees have seen for twenty years. I doubt anyone has called him by his first name in a while.  
Also, in the movie everyone (besides Charlie) just called him "Wonka" instead of Mr. Wonka (this may have been to show the lack of respect the others had for him).  
I like to think of it as in the 18th and 19th century when you wouldn't always call a friend by their first name, similar to Pride and Prejudice. No one called Mr. Darcy by his first name, Fritzwilliam (I don't blame them) instead just calling him "Darcy."

So there you go.

The next few weeks around the factory were a bit chaotic, as everyone was hard at work for St. Patrick's day, but everything came to a halt when there was a break in the weather and the sun came out for the first time in months.

Wonka had seen how fidgety Charlie had been, and there seemed to be a general restlessness in the air. Knowing better than to try and keep his wards attention when the sunshine was calling, Wonka told everyone to take a sick day and stop production until tomorrow.

The restlessness seemed to catch on and Grandpa Joe decided to drag Grandpa George to the local pub for some fresh air (because there was so much fresh air in a pub). With the menfolk out of the house, the women (minus an at work Rebecca) decided to have tea on the back patio and watch Charlie run around the yard.

"Mr. Wonka!" Grandma Georgina called to the passing chocolatier, "Come have a seat with us, and enjoy a spot of tea!"

"Hm, my apologies ladies, but I must decline. I have much to do..." Wonka murmured distractedly as he shuffled papers.

"Oh, no excuses!" Grandma Josephine cut in, "Come have a seat!"

Mrs. Bucket Interjected a much more politely. "Mr. Wonka, do have a seat with us. You've given everyone else an afternoon off, why not take one yourself?"

Wonka looked up from his papers, and smiled benevolently. "How can I refuse such an invitation from such lovely companions?" He tossed the papers over his shoulder and excepted a cup.

The four watched Charlie explore the yard as they sipped their tea companionably.

"It's so nice to see him getting to enjoy his days instead of working them away." Grandma Georgina commented.

Mrs. Bucket smiled sadly. "I'm glad he gets to have this now. Both he and Rebecca have worked to hard for to long."

Wonka was beginning to regret excepting his cup of tea.

It was getting far to melancholy for his taste.

Looking down at his cup of tea, he added a couple lemon drops.

"Ah, that Rebecca. She's been working nonstop since she was a little girl. It's high time she took some time for herself." Grandma Josephine nodded. "Let her hair down every once and a while."

"Hm," Wonka wondered. Come to think of it he never had seen her with her hair down.

"How long has Rebecca been working?"

"Oh since her father died I suppose." Mrs. Bucket said as she watched her son. "Charlie had just been born so I was unable to work. Rebecca had always picked up odd jobs for a little pocket change, but once our savings dried up she quit school and picked up any job she could find. She's been working ever since."

"Oh she was the most curious child! Always had a question about everything and sticking her nose into any trouble she could find." Grandma Josephine laughed.

Grandma Georgina smiled as well, apparently recalling an old memory. "Charlie reminds me so much of her at that age. The both of them are so cautious now, acting so bewildered when someone does something nice for them."

Wonka pondered this thought for a moment. The thought of a Rebecca who's smile came more easy, and looked at the world with the same wonder her brother did, before adulthood claimed her to early.

Shaking his head, he set his cup down on the table. "Dear ladies, I think you for your tea, but alas time waits for no man- Especially not the candy man!" He gave them a bow and a tip of his hat before leaving them to their afternoon.

Walking down the hallway he could hear the sounds of the Oompa Loompa's impromptu party in the fudge room, but after the slightly depressing conversation he'd just left behind, he didn't feel much like partying for the moment.

Deciding to swing by his office and drop off his paperwork, he rounded the corner and was surprised to come face to face with the topic of the previous conversation.

Rebecca herself looked a little surprised to see him as well.

"Mr. Wonka! You startled me!" She clutched her hands to her chest.

Hand that where unusually free of paperwork.

"Miss Bucket, back from work early! And from the look of things you didn't bring any of it with you this time."

She smiled. "Hm, not today. My employer decided to call the weekend early and let us off for the holiday. This weather has put everyone in such a good mood!"

Pleased to see her smiling after his disheartening insight to her childhood, his own mood lifted.

"Yes, I believe your grandfathers left for an outing earlier to enjoy it. And what do you have planed for the rest of your day off?"

Holding up her jacket for the coat hangers to grab, she gave a shrug of her shoulders. "I have no idea."

An idea struck him then. "The rest of your family is through those doors, but if I could steal a moment of your time there is something I would like to show you."

"It's not exploding candy again is it?"

Wonka chortled. "My dear Miss Bucket, so suspicious! One would think you don't trust me." He placed a hand at her back and started leading her down the hallway.

Rebecca watched him from the corner of her eye. "There is a difference between suspicion and experience." She smirked.

"I'll have to inform Charlie that you're on to us."

It was her turn to chortle as they walked into the Mixing and Making room.

"Well... That's a lot of green."

"Of course!" Wonka was immediately distracted by one of the pots the Oompa Loompa's left to simmer. "Tis the color of the season!"

Sticking a spoon in he gave it a taste. "Hmm, what do you think of this?"

Taking the spoon Rebecca took a dainty sip. "Mmm, it's very good!"

"Good, yes, but not quite perfect." Reaching into a nearby bowl he tossed a handful of four leaves clovers in the pot and stirred them around.

Used to his odd ways by now, Rebecca waited as he tasted again.

"Perfect!" He twisted a nob, and turned back to her. "My apologies, let us continue!"

Guiding her over to a table covered in hard candies he held one up to her.

"Do you know what this is?"

Her eye's widened in recognition. "It's a whistle!"

"Almost! It's a bird whistle!" He placed it in her hand. "Wonka Whistlers! All thanks to you my dear."

He watched her attentively as she examined it in wonder.

"Go ahead! Blow it!"

Her eyes danced as she put it to her lips and blew.

'Fweet!'

"Haha! It's fantastic!" Wonka clapped.

"It's blueberry!"

"Correct! That is the Bluejay Whistle! Sounds like a blueberry, taste like a bluejay- Wait! Reverse that!"

She snickered and blew it again.

"What others do you have?"

Glancing at her blue lips as he turned back to the table, Wonka selected another whistle.

"This one is a Whippoorwill, now let's see if you can guess the flavor,"


	5. Chapter 5

Wallaby notes: Welcome to Mega Chapter! This puppy is twice the size as previous chapters. Much is learned and Rebecca drinks a lot.

Also, I noticed that my line breaks have disappeared after I posted, so now everything just runs together.

Disclaimer: If I owned any of these characters I would grab Willy Wonka and never let him go.  
Lucky for him, I don't.

-Line Break-

"Hey Becky," Charlie, who was munching on an origami flower, plopped down beside his sister. "I brought you a drink."

It was St. Patrick's Day, and everyone was enjoying some quite time before the party the Oompa Loompa's were throwing that night.

Apparently a holiday that featured little men in green was a source of great amusement to them.

Rebecca studied the drink in Charlie's outstretched hand.

"It's not another one of the Voice Changing Sodas, is it?"

"Nah, not this time." He grinned good naturally.

"Though I'm not sure why you've been so paranoid about it. You had fun with us that day in the Inventing Room."

"That's before it started showing up in _all_ my drinks!"

Charlie took another bite out of his flower. "You know, that was one of the first times you started hanging out with us."

"What do you mean?" Rebecca asked, taking a sip of her drink. No change in voice.

"You know," Charlie chewed. "You never hung around long when Mr. Wonka came in the room. You were always so quite when he was around, I was worried you didn't like him."

"Really?" She asked surprised. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Charlie shrugged. "I didn't want to make a big deal of it if you didn't know you were doing it. Then you'd be even more awkward than you were."

"I was not!"

Charlie only grinned as she lightly cuffed him on the head.

What he didn't say, was he had been worried about what he would do if she had been acting that way on purpose. He had never know his father, but ever since Mr. Wonka had taken him under his wing, the man had gone beyond just the duties of a mentor.  
He had even offered to take Charlie to the movie theater after learning the boy had never been to one.

 _"Don't Forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he ever wanted..."_ Wonka had told him the day he'd named him as his heir.

For a long while he had worried what would happen if Rebecca and the chocolatier didn't get along. __

Though lately they had been getting along very well.

"What do you think of Mr. Wonka?" He questioned.

Rebecca's eyebrow's furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"What do you think of Mr. Wonka?"

"Yes, I heard that the first time- What do you mean by that?" She took another sip of her non-voice changing drink.

"You like him don't you?"

Non-voice changing, but apparently you could still choke on it.

Rebecca coughed as Charlie pounded on her back.

"Why would you - _wheeze_ \- say that?"

Charlie picked up his forgotten origami flower. "You two spend a lot more time together now, and you stop your paperwork to stare at him sometimes."

"I do not!"

"It's okay, he stares at you a lot too."

"He does?" Rebecca put aside the book she'd been reading.

"Come to think of it, he's been watching you for a lot longer."

Rebecca gave her brother a shrewd look. Sometimes she forgot just how observant Charlie could be. "You didn't ask him these questions, did you?"

"Yes I did."

Her heart skipped a beat, but she tried not to show it on her face. "And what did he have to say?"

"I don't know, it was in French."

The reply surprised her into a laugh. "Of course he did,"

Charlie grinned at her. "Honestly though," He asked, when their amusement had died down. "Do you like him? I won't tell."

"I know you wouldn't." She took a deep breath and collected her thoughts.

"To be honest I haven't really given it much thought. I know I'm not someone Mr. Wonka would be... Interested in pursuing, so I haven't let myself entertain any false ideas I might have. He is a very kind man, so it would be wrong to interpret has attention as anything else."

Charlie rolled his eyes at her. "I can tell you're lying. You just went into your business mode."

Rebecca sputtered.

"Annnnd," He continued in a sing-song voice. "I know that you got a new dress for the party tonight..."

"I've been needing a new dress for awhile!" She defended. "And now that I have a little extra spending money I decided to get one! That has nothing to do with whatever you think, that I think, about Mr. Wonka!"

"Mmhm," Charlie nodded sagely. "Me thinks the lady doth protest to much."

"Ugh!" She threw up her hands and folded her legs underneath her. "You're starting to sound just like him!"

Charlie grinned proudly and nibbled at the end of his flower.

Rebecca sighed, and turned to face him more directly. "Charlie. Mr. Wonka does not have an interest in me. Not in that way. In fact, I get the feeling he thinks of me as more of a puzzle to solve than anything."

She rested her folded hands on her knees. "Please drop this before it makes him feel awkward and things become strained between us."

Charlie sobered. "Alright, I won't bring it up again."

"Thank you."

"Even if you are wrong."

"Charlie!"

-Line Break-

Puzzle or not, Rebecca wouldn't let herself think about the conversation with Charlie anymore.

Or the fact that she might have been primping a little more than normal for the party.

Because the simple fact of the matter was, Mr. Wonka did not see her in that way, no matter how much she was beginning to wish he did.

It was for the best, she told herself, she was never planning to stay long in the factory anyway. Now that her family was taken care of, she could begin saving the money she earned for the future so she could begin her own life.

Even if the thought of leaving her family, the factory, and a certain candy man gave her a slight pain in her chest.

-Line Break-

The party had already started by the time the collective Bucket family arrived that evening, if the sound of a spontaneous song was anything to go by.

Charlie rushed to open the doors for his family, all dressed in varying shades of green, to a room that was absolutely covered in it.

Candy streamers hung from the celling, a fountain bubbled filled with a green soda, sweets of all kinds covered every available surface, and Oompa Loompa's trimmed in the color were well into the festivities already.

Right in the center of it all stood Willy Wonka, dressed in dark emerald greens from his shoes to his bowtie, looking for all the world like a St. Patrick's day king.

"Welcome!" He bowed to his guest. "Delighted that you could join us!"

"Hope he doesn't treat us like his last group of guest." Grandpa Joe mumbled before Grandma Josephine elbowed him in the ribs.

Charlie was already across the room next to Wonka in an instant, dressed like a miniature version of the man right down to the top hat.

"Mr. Wonka, is it all ready?"

"Absolutely to the T." He bent down to whisper something in his wards ear. They shared a mischievous look, before nodding and turning to the others.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to tell you that Charlie shall be acting as your host tonight, so please give him your full attention!"

"Oh dear," Mrs. Bucket worried. "I do hope they haven't cooked up some scheme for us."

"Knowing those two they most definitely have." Rebecca crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "But I don't believe we need to worry about it to much. Oh! thank you Oscar." She excepted a fizzy green beverage from the Oompa Loompa that had appeared at her side.

Sniffing it before drinking she didn't notice anything out of the usual in it.

"Still so mistrustful." Wonka tutted from behind her.

"Ggk!" She nearly choked in surprise.

Wonka, for his part, looked as if he hadn't been trying to scare her as he offered her his handkerchief. At least not that badly.

As she patted her mouth the rest of the family seemed to receive some sort of signal and moved as one into the room, while Charlie and the Oompa Loompas showed them around the festivities.

"You really have gone all out for this haven't you?" She surveyed the room.

"Well, St. Patrick's day, is not really known for being a candy holiday, which means we have less to produce and more time to plan, so the party ends up being one of our bigger ones. That, and it falls near to one of the Oompa Loompa holidays."

"Ah." She took another, more cautious sip.

"Charlie and I had a most interesting conversation earlier." Wonka stated, watching the boy show off for his family.

A stab of fear raced through Rebecca.

This was a conversation she had been hoping to avoid.

Seeming oblivious to her panic, he continued. "Something about how you would bring him a chocolate gold coin every year for St. Patrick's day?"

Relief flooded Rebecca. Maybe she _was_ becoming paranoid.

"Oh, that," She waved it off. "When he was little I bought him one for the holiday, and it kinda became our tradition."

"You make it sound such a little thing."

"Well, it was only one little pice of chocolate. Nothing monumental." She said, not wanting to make a big deal of it. One little coin had been all she'd been able to afford at the time Charlie was old enough to know what St. Patrick's day was, but she had wanted him to have _something_ for the holiday.

Wonka had that look on his face that usually meant he was planing something. "Remember, there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end."

Offering his arm he led her to the others. "Let's see what Charlie has in store for us..."

Charlie, as it turned out, was in the middle of explaining the Oompa Loompa version of river dancing that was about to take place. It must have been a big deal, because with the sound of a lyrical whistle, the numbers of Oompa Loompas on the dance floor doubled.

Seeing this Charlie bowed (in a very Wonka fashion) and offered his hand to his mother.

"Madame?"

Mrs. Bucket curtsied and allowed her son to lead her onto the floor.

"Come on Josephine!" Grandpa Joe spun his wife between Oompa Loompas to join them. The second set of grandparents seemed content to watch as they nibbled on pastries.

"Well then my dear, I'm afraid you are left with me as a dance partner." Wonka did a bow of his own and extended his hand.

"Would you do me the honor?"

Rebecca sighed dramatically, as if she were being very put upon. "If I must. I see Oscar has already found a partner."

Wonka laughed, and she fought down butterflies as his hand closed around hers.

Taking their place among the rows (Thankfully towards the back so she could try and copy the others), they linked arms. Wonka held his left hand behind him as Rebecca, following the other dancers lead, gathered up her skirt in her right.

Waiting a moment as the music started before catching the beat, he then led them into a merry skipping sort of dance which contained much bobbing and twirling.

At the front, Charlie glanced back in time to see Wonka give Rebecca an extra spin and succeed in making her laugh.

Smirking, he turned back to his own dance partner, who shared a knowing look with him.

After several more dances Rebecca, in need of a rest, tugged Wonka's arm so she could speak into his ear over the music and sounds of laughter.

"I could use a little something to drink, what about you?!"

Turning his head to speak in her ear Wonka replied, "Of course! I believe it's almost time for Charlie's next event anyway!"

Guiding her over to where Grandma Josephine (who had tired after the first dance) sat with some of the older Oompa Loompa ladies, he then wove his way through the crowd in search of drinks.

"Whooo," Rebecca collapsed next to her grandmother. "That was fast paced!"

Grandma Josephine's eye's danced, "You didn't seem to have trouble keeping up though."

Rebecca decided not to comment, and instead watched Grandpa Joe try and teach some Oompa Loompa children how to Boogaloo.

A moment later Charlie joined them with a very winded Mrs. Bucket. "Come with me! There's something I want to show you!"

Following obediently as he collected Grandpa Joe, the group huddled around a cloth covered table. Wonka materialized behind Rebecca and hand her a drink before moving to stand beside Charlie.

Looking about ready to burst, Charlie locked his hands behind his back and looked at each of his family members.

"As you all know," He began. "Mr. Wonka and I have been very busy getting our new spring line ready for Easter, but-" He paused to look up at his mentor, who clasped a hand on his shoulder. "I told Mr. Wonka there was something special I needed to make for _this_ holiday."

He moved to stand beside the table. "So without farther ado, I present to you the very first batch of chocolate, that I have ever made by myself!"

Then he pulled off the cover to reveal a platter full of chocolate gold coins.

Rebecca gasped in realization as Charlie smiled at her proudly.

"Now it's my turn to give one to you!"

Wonka gave her a very pointed look that spoke of his pride in the boy.

Taking the chocolate from him she crushed her brother to her in a fierce hug.

"They're delicious Charlie!" His mother exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him.

Charlie just blushed under the shower of kisses from her and his grandmothers.

"Charlie, did you want to tell them the rest?" Wonka asked leaning against the table.

Charlie's response was to blush even harder. "Could you?"

Shaking his head Wonka turned to the rest of the family. "At this moment, thousands of chocolate coins are being sent to all the children's homes, all over the country- courtesy of Charlie."

"Haha, thats my boy!" Grandpa Joe gave him a proud shake.

"Charlie thats, fantastic!" Rebecca would have picked him up and spun him if he hadn't went and gotten so big on her. Mrs. Bucket had tears in her eyes as she held her sons face in her hands to kiss him on the forehead.

"A toast!" Mr. Wonka raised a glass, and others were handed out. "To Charlie!"

"TO CHARLIE!"

Everyone took a swig.

Then blinked at the odd flavor.

"Say, um, what kinda drink is this?" Grandpa Joe shifted from side to side awkwardly.

Guessing what the man must be thinking of, Wonka flashed him a devilish grin. "Nothing to worry about my friends, this drink won't have you flying anywhere!" Then added under his breath, "At lest I think it won't."

Charlie, no longer the shade of a tomato, piped in. "Yep! This stuff will make your hair stand on end!"

"My head feels funny." Grandpa George spoke up.

"Mine too!" Grandma Josephine claimed. Everyone started to pat at their heads.

"I told you," Charlie sipped at his drink again. "It'll make your hair stand on end."

"Oh, you little rascal!" His mother pinched his cheek lovingly.

"Hey, no fair! I'm wearing green!"

The group scattered to look at their refections.

Wonka shifted his gaze to Rebecca, who was in a corner trying to keep her hair from escaping it's tight bun.

Glancing to see if anyone else was paying attention, Wonka sided up behind her.

"That won't work." He smirked as she jumped, more hair escaping. "It takes it a few hours to wear off."

She flashed him a look out of the corner of her eye. "I knew you two had something planed."

"Still so paranoid," He teased.

Finally giving up on her hair, she gave a frustrated groan and took it out of it's clip.

It immediately stood up on end, like the reaction to a static-y balloon.

Turning to him with a delighted look sparkling in her eyes, she pretended to be furious.

"This is all your doing!" But she couldn't contain her laugh.

Wonka's response was to kiss her.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Nothing is owned. I'm a poor gypsy.

The following week found Wonka up to his elbows in whatever concoction he was brewing, singing as he worked. Every so often he would pause in his work to grin up at Rebecca who was sitting a crossed the room (as usual, doing paperwork).

At his side, also elbows deep, was Charlie who playfully shoved him with a mischievous grin on his face.

Shaking her head at their antics, Rebecca turned her attention back to the paperwork strewn over her lap. On top of the pile was her personal notebook, opened to a new page.

Charlie had been trying to learn all of the Oompa Loompa's at the factory by name, the same as Mr. Wonka did. Deciding it wouldn't be a bad idea to learn them herself, Rebecca had made a list of all the names she already knew.

There was Oscar of course (he was always the first to respond when she was lost and wandering the halls), along with Norman, Bridget, Lionel, Samuel and Wendy.

It was a pretty sorry list when you looked at it on paper.

As her mind wandered over the possibility that she might have missed someone, her gaze drifted around the room before settling on Mr. Wonka again.

With the upcoming launch of the new Easter candies right around the corner, Wonka had spent less time in the Inventing room and more in the production areas of the factory, but today he had managed to find the time to partake in his favorite pastime.

As if summoned by her thoughts, the candy man appeared in front of her.

"Try this!" He held up a pice of candy. "It will make your lips tingle and buzz!"

Trusting by now that he wouldn't feed her anything with ill effects, Rebecca chewed it thoughtfully.

"It's good," She commented. "But I don't feel any buzzing or-"

She was cut off as Wonka kissed her on the mouth.

"Perfect!" He grinned, then disappeared back to his brewing leaving her in a daze.

"You-!" she hummpfed, and focused back on her dreaded paperwork.

"Better not stick your lip out like that!" Wonka chided her. "Something might happen to it."

Across the room Charlie made gaging noises.

\- Line Break-

On one hand, Charlie was very happy.

Two of the people he loved dearly were clearly infatuated with each other.

On the other hand, his mentor now had a habit of kissing his sister.

Which was a bit weird in retrospect.

But, he supposed, he was the one who had spurred them on. It was hard to miss Mr. Wonka's growing delight has Rebecca had started joining them more, and Rebecca smiling much more often than he had seen in a long time.

Charlie had been a little worried about the changes their new relationship would bring to their little group, but so far it had been business as usual.

Besides the whole kissing thing.

Though he had found it was very fun to tease them about it.

-Line Break-

In Willy Wonka's book, everything was perfect.

His chocolate factory was booming as usual (even more so, thanks to the extra attention from recent events), he had a wonderful heir in the form of Charlie, and he was now partaking in something he never dreamed he would.

A relationship.

Granted, he had never seen a reason to want to be in a relationship, but he could now say there was definitely merits to it. Stealing privet moments with Rebecca in between running the factory, working with Charlie, and mountains of his own paperwork, had joined the list of his most favorite things.

Needless to say, his secretary, Mr. Wilkinson, had been swimming in a lot of paperwork by himself recently.

Now that everything was ready for the release of the spring line, the whole factory could breath a sigh of relief, so Wonka and Charlie had decided to make a day of it and see a movie.

That afternoon, as they left the theater, the pair took the long way home through the park. Dressed in a more subdued version of his normal attire, no one gave Wonka a second glance, so they were able to stroll the sidewalks uninterrupted.

As his ward chatted on about the film, Wonka watched the boy thoughtfully.

Just as he had never before considered a relationship, he had never considered a family, but now he found himself in the middle of one.

When he had sent out the tickets looking for a protege to one day give the factory to, he knew the kind of child he was looking for, but beyond that he hadn't worried about their relationship with each other.

Charlie had changed that.

The boy was bright and hopeful, with a wondering mind and a intuitive spirit, looking up to him with an adoration that made him want to live up to the boy's expectations.

In short, Charlie was the son he never knew he wanted.

Who happened to be the brother of his new sweetheart, but Wonka didn't like to dwell on that long. It was a little weird if you thought about it to much.

"Hey look- There's Rebecca!" Charlie's voice broke through his musings.

"Oh? Where?"

"Right there, a crossed the street talking to that man!" Charlie grabbed his arm and began towing him across the bustling road.

"Becky!"

"Charlie?" Rebecca turned as the man she been talking to nodded and walked away.

"What are you two doing here?"

"We went to see the new western movie at the theater!" Charlie answered her question with a hug. "Who was that man you were talking to?"

"Oh, just some one who wanted to ask me a question." She shuffled her work folders, and gave Wonka a peck on the cheek. "How did you like the movie?"

"You should see it!" Gushed Charlie. "There is this one scene, where they have to sneak into the bad guys hideout..."

They began their walk home as Charlie went over his favorite scenes in great detail.

Neither one noticed how quite Wonka had become.

For the man Rebecca had been talking to, was the real Arthur Slugworth.

-Line Break-

It was quite the quandary.

Wonka had been apprehensive about Rebecca from the beginning, but had grown to trust her with time, even going as far as to develop feelings for her (he didn't stop to think about how deep those feelings were), but he had no explanation for why she would be talking to his arch nemesis.

But maybe he was being too paranoid, it was probably Slugworth fishing around to see if he could find an inside snitch. Rebecca had no reason to betray him like that, she probably didn't even know who it was she was talking to.

Although, he probably introduced himself. And it would provide her with the resources to achieve her goal and move out with enough finances to live comfortably for quite some time...

Traitorous thoughts!

He shook his head to rid himself of them. It had to be all Slugworth's doing! Mr. Wilkerson hadn't been overdramatic when he had approached the contest winners pretending to be Slugworth- The rival candy maker would stoop to any level to find out what was happening behind the factory's gates.

Though while he was on the subject, perhaps Mr. Wilkerson would have some sound advise.

Heaven knew he wasn't getting any from his own mind.

Storming down the hallway, he threw open the door to his trusted secretary's office.

"Wilkerson! What do you do when your wife does something suspicious!"

Mr. Wilkerson, very much used to his employers antics, only looked up from his desk with mild surprise.

"Could you give a more specific example Sir?"

"It's Rebecca!" Wonka waved his arms in the air and started furiously pacing. "I saw her talking to Slugworth when I went out with Charlie this afternoon!"

Mr. Wilkerson's eyebrows rose. "Slugworth? What did he want with her?"

"I don't know! She waved it off! Said he just wanted to ask her a question!"

Mr. Wilkerson sat back in his chair. "Well... That is serious."

"Mmh." Wonka continued with his furious pacing. He seemed unable to keep still.

"But..." Mr. Wilkerson continued. "I don't think Rebecca would do something as rash as to make any sort of deal with him."

"Rash you say! It would be unforgivable! Deplorable! Outrageous!"

"Do you think Rebecca would do it?" Mr. Wilkerson cut in.

Wonka paused in his pacing.

"...No. Rebecca would never."

Folding his hands in front of him, Mr. Wilkerson nodded pleased. "There. You said it yourself. Rebecca is highly unlikely to do such a thing. It was most likely old Slugworth sniffing for anything to do with our spring feature."

"Yes, of course," Wonka agreed. He looked to his secretary. "Thank you, old friend. I don't know what I would do without you."

"My pleasure. Now," Mr. Wilkerson started to put his work away. "Since you reminded me, I do have a wife I should be getting home to. She hates when I stay too late. I'll keep my eye out for anything Slugworth might be up to."

"Thank you." He shook the mans hand. "Have a good night Wilkerson- and tell the wife I said hello!"

"Good night Sir." Mr. Wilkerson called after him, as he left the office.

Feeling much better, he set off in search of Rebecca. It had been awhile since they'd had a moment to themselves.

Finding she was not in her room, and that meaning she could be wandering around anywhere, Wonka pulled out his Whistle and called for an Oompa Loompa.

"Ah, Nicholas. Do you happen to know where Miss Bucket is by any chance?"

 _In the south wing Sir. Oscar is following her now._

"Yes, about that- I think we can trust Miss Bucket enough now to stop trailing her everywhere."

"Yes Sir." Nicholas's expression didn't change, but Wonka swore he could see a teasing glint to his eyes.

"Do pass the message along, will you? Good night." Wonka marched off towards the south wing, without looking back at the now grinning Oompa Loompa.

Little Imp.

Finally finding his target (who was stuck in a continuous loop of revolving doors), it was had to believe he could have ever thought she was capable of treachery.

"In need of any assistance my dear?" Startling her seemed to be his specialty.

"You scared me half to death!" She smacked him with her ever present notebook.

"My apologies my dear, but you are so extremely jumpy." He pulled her into his arms and smiled playfully at her. "One might think you weren't expecting to be found."

"In this place it's always possible." She met him half way for a kiss.

"I was looking for you by the way. Where have you been all evening?" She pulled a stray pice of Easter grass from his collar. Darn stuff was getting everywhere these days.

Not wanting to confess he'd been driving himself mad the past few hours over her possible loyalty, he skipped on the _all evening_ bit.

"I stopped by Mr. Wilkerson's office to chat before he went home for the night."

She looked up at him in surprise. "Mr. Wilkerson? You mean someone besides the Oompa Loompas works here to?"

Laughing as he rocked them side to side a little, he nuzzled their noses together. "Of course my dear! I thought you had met Mr. Wilkerson?"

"No, I haven't. Charlie Mentioned him a few times, but I assumed he worked somewhere else. I certainly haven't run into him in all my wanderings!"

"Ha! And that my dear, is why people should never work based on assumptions. No one would ever discover anything! I'll introduce you tomorrow before he leaves, _assuming_ I can find you in time."

She gave him another playful wack on the arm, and he gave her a kiss on the nose.

Everything was perfect.

Except that it wasn't.

The next morning they were met with the early release of Slugworth's Easter line.

Spring Birds.


	7. Chapter 7

Rises from the dead. "I own nothing." Returns to the dead.

Wonka had awoken that morning to the Oompa Loompa's in an uproar.

After he saw what the fuss was about he was in an uproar as well.

He was practically shaking with fury as he read the newspaper an Oompa Loompa had thrust into his hands.

 **SLUGWORTH'S CANDIES RELEASES NEW LINE FOR EASTER: SPRING BIRDS**

There were no words for his rage.

The Oompa Loompa's helpfully supplied a new newspaper for him to shred.

Quickly, he railed the troops to find everything they could about what Slugworth had copied, and phoned Mr Wilkerson (who was also in an uproar) about damage control.

They would have to redo everything. It was too late for a new spring line, but perhaps they could pull something out of testing... Or he could just release HIS line of Spring Birds, and hang Slugworth.

Whipping out his whistle he summoned a mob of Oompa Loompa's and began issuing orders.

It turned out an angry hoard of Oompa Loompa's was a force to be reckoned with.

Then again so was an angry Chocolatier who's hard work had been stolen.

The rest of the morning was a blur of giving orders, shuffling papers, scrambling ideas, and storming through the halls.

Which got him turned around a bit, because his fury was bubbling over so much he could hardly see straight- It was just like twenty years ago! All his ideas, his chocolate, his Factory! Stolen! Was nothing sacred?

He marched down a side hallway with old feelings of treachery running through his mind. If he ever saw Slugworth's beady eyes again...

He was cut off from his murderous musings as he tripped over an object in his path. Feeling unrighteous anger at his train of thought being derailed, he snatched up the object.

Rebecca's notebook.

She must have dropped it last night after he ran into her (and that was a testament to his skills at distracting her, if she could forget her notebook). He felt even more bitter at the thought of the night before.

Continuing his thundering march, he cursed Slugworth once again.

The previous evening had been so wonderful! All had been right with the world- then this sleazy, imitation, confectioner-

He froze.

Rebecca's notebook had opened to a page covered in hastily jotted down notes written in a familiar hand.

... _for gumdrops, it's best to mix the sugar by tumbling it in a barrel..._

...Licorice needs to be brewed at the same temperature as the room it's brewing in, no matter the temperature of the room..

...the way to get caramel nice and chewy is to whip the milk with whips...

...Strawberries need to be de-seeded before adding to fudge. Must be picked fresh from the vine...

...ALWAYS USE FRESH INGREDIENTS...

...Cotton candy cloths...

...Raspberry for robin whistles...

Wonka felt his blood run cold.

No. It couldn't be.

He flipped through more pages and found them littered with more and more recipes, ideas, experiments...

It felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over his very soul.

All this time he had kept Rebecca under carful watch, only to invite her in and let his guard down himself.

Yet even with the evidence held right before his eyes, in his very hands, his mind still screamed _No, not Rebecca!_

But somehow it all added up.

Then came the heart shattering feeling of betrayal.

She had _used_ him.

Used his trust, used her brother, used his feelings for her!

And just like that, the unrighteous fury was back.

His thundering march began anew, but with a new purpose and new destination, he flew down the halls with his blood boiling.

How DARE SHE?!

Coming to the Bucket family wing, he almost tore the door off it's hinges, before coming to the family dining room that contained Mrs. Bucket, Grandma Josephine, and Rebecca herself.

"Mr. Wonka!" Mrs. Bucket exclaimed in surprise as she dropped her toast and tightened her robe around her. "What brings you here this early?"

His answer was to toss the notebook onto Rebecca's plate.

She squealed, and looked at him in bewilderment. It angered him even more.

"Would you care to explain," He was visibly shaking in outrage. "How Author SLUGWORTH, came to be in possession of MY Spring Line!"

Rebecca sputtered. "Wha- what?"

Gingerly lifting the notebook out of her jelly toast, her eyes grew larger when she saw the page the book was turned to.

"Surely," Wonka said with false tranquility. "You have read the headlines this morning? _Slugsworth releases new Spring Line."_

Apparently she had.

Looking down at her notes again she gawked at him in disbelief.

"You think _I_ did this?!"

"Who else could have?!" Wonka demanded with fist clenched.

"How dare you!" Rebecca's eyes blazed and she stomped from her seat at the table to stand before him.

"How dare **I**?!" Wonka saw red. "You were _so_ clever weren't you? Wandering around the factory, getting close to me, worming your way into everything- Discovering how it all worked."

"Mr. Wonka!" Mrs. Bucket exclaimed scandalized.

Wonka ignored her.

"You think," Rebecca ground out between gritted teeth. "That I would do that? That I would use you that way!"

"You were talking to Slugworth himself on the street yesterday. Tell me, did you approach him or did he approach you?"

Rebecca was shaking now as well. "HE came to ME. He stopped me on the way home yesterday!"

"And that was the first time you met hm? What did you think? That because you thought of the idea that it belonged to you?!"

"Willy-"

"If you wanted to-"

"I didn't do anything! Why don't you trust me?!"

"I TRUSTED YOU WITH EVERYTHING!"

Both their chest were heaving as they drew in deep breaths in an unconscious attempt to calm themselves.

Or prepare for the next batch of screaming.

"If you would think. For. One. Moment. And shut up long enough for me to speak," Rebecca hissed. "Mr. Slugworth approached _me_ months ago, wanting me to act as his spy, but I told him under NO circumstance would I EVER do such a thing. He came to me last night to repeat his offer, but I again refused him and that's when you appeared and he ran off!

"As to _why_ I have been taking notes, is because for _some_ misbegotten reason I enjoyed spending time with you- You and Charlie both- but I can't begin to _fathom_ all the thoughts in your head's. I don't have the imagination to keep up with how your mind works, so I started writing everything down so I could try and keep up with you, and better understand you when you talked to me about it! I don't know why I bothered, you horrible man! Why would I steal idea's from the place _my brother_ is going to inherent? More importantly, why would I ever dream of stealing from you! After everything?!"

She shoved him. Then her eye's widened in realization.

"That's why Oscar was always close by wasn't it?"

"Rebecca-"

"You had him following me! Didn't you?! You never trusted me!"

"Rebecca..." Wonka tried again, reaching for her, but she snatched her arm away.

"No! You don't think you can trust me, fine! I'll be out of your factory by tomorrow night!"

Wallaby notes: Shout out to "Guest 123" Thank's for giving me the encouragement I needed!


	8. Chapter 8

And we're back! Hang up the phone, please don't sue, cause I don't own.  
Credit Bruce Lee for the quote.

The next few weeks passed in a haze.

True to her word, Rebecca was gone the next day, even with her family begging her not to go.

Charlie had not spoken to him since then.

The whole family wasn't speaking to him in fact, and had taken to avoiding him.

He would have rather they screamed and yelled at him, would have preferred their justifiable anger over the disapproving looks and cold shoulders. Mrs. Bucket didn't invite him to dinner anymore, but he didn't feel much like eating lately anyway.

He missed being apart of a family.

He missed Mrs. Bucket fussing over his eating habits, the grandmother Bucket's witty remarks, and the sound of Grandpa George's gravely voice, missed the company of others.

He missed Charlie.

But most of all he missed Rebecca.

He felt more like a ghost now, wandering the halls aimlessly.

He had gone ahead and released the spring line as planed, in spite of (or maybe to spite) Slugworth's thievery. Then came the inevitable scandal as the public bickered over who's idea it really was.

It was concluded in the end, with the combination of Slugworth's history, and the general nature of Wonka's candies (and the fact that his collection had more in it) that it was ample evidence of who was stealing from who.

It was all a bitter taste in Wonka's mouth.

The only bright side was Slugworth hadn't known about the bird whistle's.

He almost hadn't released them anyway. It didn't feel right after all that had happened, but Mr. Wilkerson and the Oompa Loompa's had convinced him to in the end.

To avoid what now felt like crushing silence, Wonka had taken to hiding himself in his office most days. Charlie's chair sat beside him like a haunting reminder of the rift between him and the boy.

It was all a question on how to fix this mess, and he didn't know how to begin.

He also needed to discover the leak in information that had brought this about in the first place. It wouldn't be an Oompa Loompa, that was for certain. Mr. Wilkerson had been driving himself half mad trying to find a way someone could have snuck in, but Wonka didn't consider that a possibility.

"Mr. Wonka?" A quite voice broke through his cluttered thoughts.

"Charlie?" He looked up the see the boy peering around his door.

"May I come in?"

"Of course Charlie!" He knocked a stack of books off of the three legged chair next to him.

Silently his heir shuffled across the room and sat next to him.

And then the silence stretched between them.

It was Charlie who finally broke the ice.

"How is the new line doing?"

Not his preferred topic, but he supposed it needed to be addressed.

"Good. Now that all the gossip has died down."

Charlie nodded solemnly.

It seemed neither one of them wanted to approach the elephant in the room.

Wonka idly fidgeted with his pen.

"It was Grandpa Joe." Charlie finally broke. "When he and Grandpa George went out... He was bragging about how his grandchildren helped you come up with the idea. Someone started asking questions so he kept talking."

The boy looked down at his feet.

"It was my fault. I shouldn't have told them about it."

Ah. So that was the traitor in their mist.

Looking at Charlie's face he felt ill.

Wonka didn't like the loss of innocence in his wards life. His first success brutally snatched from him, and apparently from the lips of a loved one. He had learned a hard lesson, and now a guarded look had settled in his eye's.

He had most likely contributed to that look with his previous rampage.

"It's natural to want to share your joys with the people most important to you, Charlie. I don't think your Grandfather will repeat his mistake." He clasped the boy's shoulder.

Charlie gave him a small smile. "All the same, I won't be telling anymore secrets until they're ready to be told."

"We're only human, Charlie. We're bound to make mistakes. But mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them."

Speaking of which.

Kneeling down in front of the boy, Wonka looked up into his face. "I'm sorry Charlie. Can you forgive me for what I've done?"

For a moment he felt cold fear trickle up his spine, that perhaps he wouldn't be forgiven, but then Charlie was launching forward and throwing his arms around Wonka's neck.

"Of course I do Mr. Wonka! I'm so sorry too!"

Squeezing the boy to him, he felt tears of relief in the corners of his eyes. Pulling apart Charlie wiped similar tears from his own eyes with the back of his hands.

Collecting themselves they moved back to their respective chairs, and sat in a more companionable silence, which Wonka used to ponder his current standing with the Bucket family.

If Joe Bucket had come clean to the family about his transgressions (depending on _when_ he had come clean) it could be the start of his redemption, especially now that Charlie was on his side. Mrs. Bucket was a forgiving soul, so an honest apology should put him back in her good graces.

He leaned back and looked to Charlie who was also lost in his own mind. He doubted he would win the others forgiveness as easily as it was to win his wards (besides Grandpa Joe. His opinion was forfeit), but Charlie was the one who really mattered anyway.

The boy seemed to pull himself from his heavy thoughts, and looked into Wonka's eyes.

"You need to talk to her."

Wonka sighed wearily. "I know Charlie. I just need the courage to do it."

-Line Break-

The worst part about breaking up with a chocolatier, is that you couldn't even eat chocolate to sooth yourself.

Alright, not the worst part, but it definitely was a downside.

After Wonka's accusations and their fight, Rebecca had set about finding herself a place to stay and bundling up her meager possessions.

If she hadn't been so hurt she might have been overwhelmed with the unnerving prospect of leaving her family and facing the world alone for the first time in her life, but it is hard to think of those things when angry tears are stinging your eyes.

After she finished packing up her most prized possessions (minus one whistle on a chain that she had flung at Wonka's face), her mother had come in and sat quietly on her bed.

"Are you really going to leave, Becky?" She asked after a minuet of watching clothes fly into a rucksack.

Rebecca was still for a moment, before resuming her packing. "I can't stay. Not after that."

Mrs. Bucket nodded, and looked at the empty dresser. "It will be so strange not to have you with us." She looked back towards her daughter. "You will stop by often to visit won't you?"

"I don't think I'll be coming back here." Rebecca replied without looking up. "But we can still get together for lunch, or a walk and such. I'll find a house soon and you all can stop by anytime."

Mrs. Bucket watched her with sorrowful eyes. "You really care deeply about him, don't you." It wasn't really a question. Rebecca looked up from her task.

"I love him."

She stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. Mrs. Bucket knew her daughter well enough to know she could not comfort her now, but her arms still ached to hold her in her time of need.

Shaking her head, Rebecca resumed her work. "But if he could think those things about me... after all this time..." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Perhaps I didn't really know him either. I could never really tell what was going on in his head."

"Rebecca," Her mother broke in. "I am in no way defending his monstrous behavior, but, perhaps you should wait and speak with him tomorrow? I'm sure he is already drowning in his regret."

Rebecca's eyes began to water again, and she clutched a hand to her chest. "No. Sometimes a little heartbreak is a lesson, and the right thing to do is learn that lesson."

Tears gathering in her own eyes, Mrs. Bucket nodded. "Perhaps. But this is no "little" heartbreak."

No matter the size, the next morning found Rebecca and her few possessions at the door step of a former co-worker.

Mrs. Thatcher, had worked with Rebecca after her husband died, before retiring the previous year. Learning through the grapevine that Rebecca was looking for a place to stay until she found a more permanent residents, the elder women had immediately hunted her down and dragged the girl into her home.

It was quaint and small, but nothing Rebecca wasn't used to. The only real problem was after the neighbors had given her "Sufficient time to get settled" the tiny house had been flooded with nosey busybodies wanting to know what her story was.

Lately she had taken to doing her paperwork in the nearby park. It was more peaceful, and as she had grown used to working with lots of noise in the background, the sounds of other park goers was welcome.

But even with all the noise loneliness still pursued her.

She missed her family of course, but even though it was twinged with bitterness, she still missed Wonka.

From her chosen spot in the park under a tree, she could see the factory's smokestacks through the branches, and wondered what was brewing. She also wondered if he missed her at all, or if he truly felt so little for her and had moved on to other business.

Charlie had been to visit her a couple days ago, and had confessed he hadn't spoken to Mr. Wonka after he learned how the man had treated her. Rebecca's feelings on the man aside, Wonka truly did care about Charlie and vice-versa, and she didn't want their relationship to be tarnished because of her fight with his mentor.

She had advised Charlie to try and make amends with his role model.

"You should too." Charlie had countered.

Rebecca thought of the look on his face as he seemed to realize his mistake, but still made no attempt to stop her, and she knew it would take a lot more than a simple apology to get her back through those gates.

"If he want's to see me he knows how to find me." And that was the end of that.

To be honest, if Willy Wonka were to approach her, Rebecca wasn't sure what she would do.

Part of her said scoff and walk away, another said call the police, and yet another had an entire speech prepared of further ways he was wrong.

After the days of various mood swings she had gone through (and that Mrs. Thatcher had subjected to), she finally settled on ignoring all thoughts of the man.

Which brought her to today, as she sat under her tree facing _away_ from the factory, studiously focused on her papers.

Pulling out her notebook (a new one. She had left her old one behind), Rebecca flipped to a new page.

It opened to the middle and she gasped in surprise.

There, in her book, was a Wonka Whistler.

"Blueberry. For a Bluejay."

Whipping around she found herself looking up into the eyes of Willy Wonka himself.

"Hello."

She gaped at him for a moment, before sputtering indigently. "Hello?! You come all the way out here and all you say is _hello_?!"

"No, actually I have much more to say, but it is up to you if you want to hear it."

"When has that ever stopped you?" She huffed.

Wonka raised an eyebrow. "Would you mind if I sat down?"

Rebecca raised her own eyebrow and crossed her arms.

Taking that as an invitation, or just doing it anyway, Wonka sat down a crossed from her.

"How have you been?" Not the best start to the conversation, but he was curious.

Rebecca wasn't having it though.

"You come to find me after two and a half weeks, and all you ask me is how I am?"

Wonka sighed. "Rebecca, I am sorry for how I acted,"

"If you think-"

"Please, let me continue." Wonka held up a hand. Rebecca stayed silent, but narrowed her eyes at him.

Wonka looked down at the grass between them. "Rebecca, since the day I met you, you have been a mystery to me. You claim to never now what I'm thinking, so here is how my mind works: In my life everything has a place- a category if you will- where it belongs. I have lived by that belief for as long as I can remember, but you... You, I could never fit into any category. As soon as I thought I had you sorted, you would surprise me again and take my breath away.

"When I saw you with Author Slugworth it awakened old fears of mine- betrayals, falsehoods, the knowledge that I was being used by everyone I was in contact with. I should have had more faith in you, I should have talked to you instead of letting my paranoia take hold of me. I am a foolish and hot tempered man, as you well know."

He looked up at her, giving her a slight, crooked smile, and was relived to see that her expression had softened.

Rallied by this fact, he continued.

"Rebecca, I will never be able to tell you how sorry I am for how I treated you. I was no better than an animal, and no matter your actions I should have never behaved that way. If you come back to the factory- and I hope you will- You can do so with the knowledge that you have my absolute and complete trust. I understand if you wish not to pursue any further relationship with myself, but your family misses you terribly- as do Oscar, the rest of the Oompa Loompa's, and myself as well."

Looking into her eyes, he dared to place a hand over hers. "I understand now why you never fit into my preconceived categories- You are in a league of your own, and far out mine. But I love you Rebecca Bucket, and whether you come home as my friend, or avoid me for the rest of your life, I always will."

Trying to stop her tears and avoid a runny nose, Rebecca used her hand that was not held captive to swipe at the streams that were starting to run down her cheeks.

"I love you too, you idiot."

A full grin finally broke onto Wonka's face. "You Love me?"

"Yes."

"You forgive me?"

"Yes."

"You'll come back with me?"

"Yes, yes, of course I will!" Rebecca grabbed his bowtie with her free hand and tugged him froward for a kiss."

After a long, heated kiss that spoke just how much he missed her, the reunited couple finally pulled apart, and Wonka grinned one of his mischievous grins down at her (she had somehow ended up in his lap). "You truly love me?"

"Of course I do, do you not believe me?" She playfully twirled a finger in his frizzy locks.

"Well then, there is only one thing to do." Reaching around her, he located the Wonka Whistler in her notebook and blew.

A responding tweet called back from above, and to Rebecca's astonishment, a Bluejay flew down from the branches and landed on Wonka's waiting finger.

Turning to face her again, Wonka's face was that of the long suffering. "You have no idea how long it took to teach him that."

Around the birds neck was a ribbon strung with a diamond ring.

Wallaby notes: Tada! So was is actually all that I've had planed for this story. _My_ notebook has been full of ideas for up until this point, but after this all ideas just kinda dried up. Looking at it now though, I don't really like ending it here, so stick around and lets see what happens. Maybe an epilog?

Thoughts?


	9. Chapter 9

Enough of me whining about being poor- I don't own Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory.

Credit William Shakespeare for the quote.

After the impromptu proposal in the park, and a few more hours of conversing (and kissing), Wonka had returned triumphant to the factory with his new fiancé.

And then immediately wish he hadn't as they were ambushed after coming in the door.

Apparently an Oompa Loompa had seen them coming and had spread the word.

This being the first he had been with Rebecca's family since her departure, he was treated to many a scolding and then crushed in hugs as the women in the family sobbed all over him. Things began to wind down after a continuous stream of questions and demands- _Yes I apologized, no she wont be under watch ever again, yes Ms. Georgina I do understand what you will do to me if I ever treat her that way again-_ All in all, it was a very tiresome business, and though he had missed the Buckets and was glad to have been forgiven, dealing with them all at once was not what he wanted to being doing right now.

Then he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder (far gentler than the other hands that had been clambering allover him) and looked to see Rebecca beaming up at him with eyes full of happy tears. __

Alright, maybe it wasn't that bad.

A warm feeling bloomed in his heart as he smiled at his future bride. For her he could survive anything.

"Wait- Is that a RING on your finger?!"

And then all peaceful thoughts were shaken out of him as the madness began anew, and everyone tried to get a look at Rebecca's finger at once.

But through all of it her hand never left his.

-Line Brake-

The next few weeks found Wonka endlessly singing as he went about various tasks, a testament to his perpetual good mood.

His way of subtly announcing his engagement to the public was a slow trickle of wedding themed candies. At first no one thought much of it, being spring and therefor wedding season after all, but then rumors began to trickle when the someone spied Charlie Bucket at a wedding dress shop (looking very putout if rumors were to be believed) and suddenly it was all anyone could talk about. Arguments were made about whether it was just for the new wedding themed line, or if the wedding line were actually because of a wedding happening.

When Willy Wonka himself confirmed the rumors, the media exploded into a frenzy trying to discover just _who_ he was getting married to.

It seemed no one knew Rebecca existed, the only people _known_ to be related to Charlie were his mother and the grandfather who had escorted him to the golden ticket event. Even the neighbors who knew of Rebecca didn't seem to consider her as a candidate.

The whole thing was a source of great amusement to Wonka and Charlie, who would give the slightest hit of the mystery bride, then sit back and watch the chaos.

That was until Rebecca was suddenly ambushed by reporters on her way home one evening. Apparently someone at her work had sold her out.

The mob had appeared as she rounded the block and suddenly she found herself being pulled in every direction. Questions were being thrown at her and someone tugged so hard on her arm that the sleeve ripped.

She had managed to fight her way to the front gates by the time everyone inside caught word of what was going on at their door step. She was then rescued by a furious Wonka and a pack of Oompa Loompa's armed with some terrifying looking machines.

"It's absolutely outrageous!" Wonka steamed as he paced a path into the floor of his office. Seated in an armchair with a blanket over her shoulders and hot chocolate in her hands, Rebecca watched him with a weary sort of curiosity. Around her sat Charlie, Mr. Wilkerson, and an assortment of still armed Oompa Loompa's.

"To think that those animals would even _try_ such a thing- It's unthinkable!"

"They're paparazzi Dear. I'm surprised it took them this long actually." Rebecca interjected gently. At her side Oscar patted her arm and added a few more marshmallows to her hot chocolate.

"I'll just have to keep a better eye out, go home different ways."

Wonka snorted and continued his angry pacing.

"You shouldn't have to! You should be able to walk wherever you please without being hounded by those piranhas!"

"Says the man who spent twenty years locked in his factory to avoid said "Piranhas." Rebecca mumbled into her cup as she took a sip.

Wonka heard her anyway and shot her a look.

"You could wear a disguise," Charlie piped in. "No one really knows what _you_ look like anyways."

"Thank you Charlie."

"My pleasure!" He quipped.

Rebecca shook her head at her brother, and turned her attention back to her fiancé. Who was going to glare a path into the floor before his pacing did.

"A disguise is not a bad idea." Mr. Wilkerson mused. "Of course we will add security, but it may help to not draw attention to yourself.

"Or we could make exploding candy that she can throw at them!"

"I'm with Charlie on that one." Wonka called from across the room.

Rebecca didn't look thrilled with either prospects.

"If you will excuse me, I think I'll start looking into security guards." Mr. Wilkerson stood up. "There were a few chaps that I remember from the Golden Ticket event that did a splendid job, and, if I recall correctly, were privet hire."

"Thank you Mr. Wilkerson." Rebecca looked to him with gratitude. Wonka made some noncommittal noise as he stared a hole into the wall.

Mr. Wilkerson tipped his hat and made his leave.

Oscar added two more marshmallows then followed him.

"You know, the exploding rock candy recipe we have now would work if we just made the pop a _little_ bigger." The wheels could practically be seen turning in Charlie's head. "I bet if we added a pinch of baking soda we could get them to smoke too." The Wonka heir hopped off his half of a stool and darted out the door to try and do his part and keep his sister safe. And play with exploding candy.

"Go with him." Wonka ordered the remaining Oompa Loompa's. "Don't let him blow his hands off."

Once the room had been successfully vacated, besides himself and his bride to be, Wonka heaved a sigh and let his shoulders drop.

"I am sorry this happened my Dear."

Rebecca smiled a warm smile and set the mug aside. "Willy, it's alright. Between Charlie, Mr. Wilkerson, _and_ the Oompa Loompa's I have nothing to worry about."

"While I am relived to have so many capable hands on the job, it is not the main issue. I don't like the way you were treated. No one should have to deal with that, especially not you."

Sensing that this might be guilt from his own past treatment of her still hanging over his head, Rebecca watched him carefully. "Sometimes people just get carried away. It happens to us all, we just need to remember to let it go."

"So you are saying you don't want the piranhas blown up by whatever Charlie is concocting in the lab?"

This got a small giggle out of her, and Wonka breathed a deep breath and smiled as well.

Finally coming to stand before her, Wonka kneeled down to look her in the eyes.

"I never wanted you to deal with the public this way."

Rebecca took his hands in hers and rubbed her thumbs in a circular motion. "But did you really think I wouldn't have to?"

"No, but I had hoped it might come about differently." He sighed. Then felt his anger renew when he caught sight of the bruise forming on her arm.

"Exploding candy will be the least of their problems when I am finished with them!"

"Willy!" She caught him before her could stand and start his pacing again. "We don't need to start a war with the press!"

"They started the war- I'm going to end it!"

"Maybe," She tried to stop his plans for revenge. "We should just let Mr. Wilkerson and the others deal with this. I can take a few days off work until this settles down."

"I wish you didn't have to, but I can't say I will be sorry to have you with here. I am just sorry this is what you will have to put up with from now on. It won't get any easer when you become my wife."

" _The course of true love never did run smooth."_ She quoted.

Wonka Smiled and kissed her knuckles reverently.

"I love you woman."

"And I love you man."

Wallaby notes: If you enjoyed it please let me know (otherwise I find myself staring at the chapter stats wondering what everyone thought about it)- No review ever comes too late!


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